Apple announced a dual USB-C power adapter at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, but third-party power adapters might be a better choice, with competing options providing more power and flexibility. The power solution makes sense given that all new power cords shipped with Apple products feature USB-C on at least one end of the cord. Though the other end of the cord might terminate in a lightning connector or an Apple Watch magnetic puck, the company has stopped using USB-A on its chargers. People in the Apple ecosystem likely have a ton of cords that utilize USB-C for power connections, making a dual USB-C power adapter all the more useful.

Both of Apple's USB-C chargers — a full-size power adapter and a compact option — are 35W and support connections for up to two devices. They're both sold on Apple's retail website, but also ship free of charge with select configurations of the redesigned M2 MacBook Air. However, the 35W power rating is a bit low for fast charging of two devices. The company has revealed how the power adapter splits wattage when multiple devices are connected, and only a few configurations actually make sense to charge devices at a reasonable speed. The Apple dual power adapter might work for powering an iPhone and a pair of AirPods, but any pairing that requires more power will likely experience slow charging speeds.

Related: How Apple’s 35W Dual USB-C Charger Balances Power Based On The Device

Apple's two USB-C dual power adapters will appear familiar to the average user, with the glossy-white finish that has donned the company's products for ages. In a practical sense, however, the company's power adapter underwhelms when stacked up against competing third-party power solution. Anker, a company that has a reputation for developing accessories that compliment Apple products, has been hard at work pushing the limits of charging and power. The Nano II 30W crushes Apple's 5W power adapter, which is no longer included in-box with Apple products but is regularly used for comparison in marketing, and retains the same form factor. More importantly, the company makes a dual port version of the Nano II that bests Apple's own dual USB-C power adapter.

Anker And Mophie Provide Better Power Adapters

Anker Nano II Charger For iPhone 13

Anker's Nano II 65W, a small form factor power adapter with fast charging support and two USB-C ports, undercuts Apple's dual USB-C power adapter in price and beats it in performance. In terms of power, the 65W-rated adapter isn't even compared with Apple's 35W USB-C power adapter. Instead, it's compared with Apple's 61W USB-C power adapter that ships with select MacBook Pro models and features only one USB-C port. Even though it is more powerful than Apple's 61W power adapter and offers an additional port, it is 49 percent smaller, according to Anker. Unlike Apple's 35W dual power adapters, the Nano II 65 can deliver enough power to actually make simultaneous charging convenient.

There's also a less powerful — and slightly less expensive — dual USB-C power adapter from Mophie that still bests Apple's 35W dual power adapter. It's the Mophie Speedport 45W 2-port wall charger, and as the name suggests, provides 45W of power that can be split between two devices. The primary device connected to the power adapter will receive 25W of power, but a subsequent connection will only receive 20W. Mophie makes bold claims about charging speeds, but a look at the fine print shows that these comparisons are again compared with Apple's obsolete 5W power adapter, not the 18W power adapter which is the default option that can be bundled with new products. Regardless, Mophie's offering is still a great choice to charge two devices with just one wall plug. The 2o-plus watts provided by the power adapter per device is enough to power most devices, and the price is more palatable than Apple's option. Though Apple made the right call by finally releasing a dual-port USB-C power adapter, it just doesn't stack up against third-party power solutions.

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Source: Anker 1, 2, ZAGG